Scars Can't Lie Forever
by MidnightDarkRose
Summary: On one dinner during the winter holidays, Sirius sees five words on Harry's hand. Sirius wants to help, but will Harry let him?
1. Chapter 1

**Scars Can't Lie Forever**

**Chapter One**

"Harry James Potter, you go to your room right now!" Sirius yelled at the top of his lungs.

How did I end up here, you might ask? It all started at dinner…

During the holidays, I had been wearing shirts that had sleeves long enough to cover my hand. I didn't want anyone else finding out about what goes on in my detentions with Umbridge. I just knew that no one would react kindly to it, especially Sirius. He tends to react first and think after.

Anyway, Mrs. Weasley had started to call everyone down for dinner. Not wanting to come down late and find empty food platters, I walked down the stairs just behind everyone else who had been checking out the twins' newest inventions

Unfortunately for me, I hadn't made it to the kitchen quick enough. Every seat was taken except one. It was on the opposite end of the table from where my friends were sitting, but I had Sirius seated next to me. At least he wouldn't talk about homework, unlike Hermione.

A loud, but peaceful sound filled the air during the meal. Wanting to join in a conversation, I decided to try to have a conversation with Sirius for a while. After all, we hardly ever saw each other. We probably had quite a bit to catch up on.

"So, Sirius, how have things been here at Grimmauld?" It was a question I already knew the answer to, I know, but it was the best I had. Waiting for his response, I took a sip of pumpkin juice.

"As uneventful as ever, I suppose. I haven't seen Kreacher that often though, so I guess…" Sirius trailed off, going wide-eyed. "What is that?" He was pointing to my hand.

I looked down at my hand. My sleeve had slipped down to my wrist, exposing the irritated flesh with the words 'I must not tell lies' permanently scarred on the back of my hand.

I tried to hide my hand, but it was too late. Sirius had already seen it. He swiftly grabbed my hand and looked it over.

"Who did this?" I didn't answer. "Who did this?" Sirius repeated, his voice rising.

"I did, sort of. In my detentions with Umbridge," I said it quietly, so that most people at the table wouldn't be able to hear.

"Harry, why didn't you let anyone know?" I turned my head away, refusing to answer. "Why didn't you tell me?" Sirius was shouting at this point.

Heads were now turning to see what was going on. Hermione and Ron shared a look, obviously guessing what had happened.

"Harry, how long has this been going on?" Once again, I didn't give a response. Sirius took my head in his hands firmly, but gently as not to hurt me, and made me look at him in the eyes. I, however, was not giving in so easily. I shut my eyes tight and shook my head.

"Harry James Potter, you go to your room right now!"

I obediently sprinted up the stairs as fast as I could. I did not want to face the full wrath of Sirius. What I needed to do was to think of what to tell him when he asked me again. Knowing Sirius, he would never leave a situation like this unhandled.

I guess all I could really do was wait and prepare myself to answer.


	2. Chapter 2

**Scars Can't Lie Forever**

**Chapter Two**

I stayed in my room for an hour. I paced back and forth, trying to think of what I could say. It was too late to come up with excuses. Sirius would never let this slip by without being confronted.

How come Sirius was just now noticing these things, anyway? If we he wanted to know about my problems he could have asked a long time ago!

Then again, maybe I should have said something about it. If I had told him about this stuff, it could have been prevented, stopped even.

Now I felt guilty. Why had I never said anything?

Before I could continue to be lost in my thoughts, Sirius stepped in.

"Sirius, I-"but Sirius pulled me into a tight hug before I could finish.

After what seemed like forever, Sirius finally spoke up, "I should have found out sooner. I'm so sorry Harry. I really am. I want to help you, but I need to know what's wrong. Harry, can you tell me?"

"I don't know," I said. It was true. I wasn't sure if I could repeat what happened with Umbridge without completely breaking down. "I don't know if I can."

"You can, Harry. I'm your godfather, you can tell me anything. I won't be angry at you. Please Harry. I can't stand seeing you like hurting like this," Sirius said it with an almost pleading tone.

I hesitantly nodded, causing Sirius to show a small smile. "It's been going on for a while. I had kept insisting that Voldemort is back and we need to know how to defend ourselves. She gave me detentions for it. Each time she made me write 'I must not tell lies over and over again, with a special quill. But it didn't need ink to write, it used the blood of the user."

"She? Who had you use the quill, Harry?" Sirius asked.

I sighed. "Dolores Umbridge. She works at the ministry," I gave the information freely, though I certainly didn't enjoy sharing it.

Sirius looked livid, as though he wanted to track down Umbridge and kill her right then and there. However, Sirius tried to control his anger so he wouldn't let it out on me.

"Was there anything else you wanted to know?" I asked.

"Actually, there is," Sirius said, a little surprised at first. "Why didn't you come tell me?"

"I couldn't let her get to me," I said simply.

"There's no shame in coming for help, Harry. Everyone needs it sometime," Sirius stated, sitting next to me on the floor.

"I told Ron and Hermione about my detentions. They wanted me to talk to Dumbledore about it, but I refused."

"Harry, can you promise me something?" Sirius paused, waiting for an answer.

I nodded. "I promise. What is it?"

"Tell me when you need help or if something happens again. I want to be there for you, Harry, I really do. But I can't do that if you bottle up your emotions. It doesn't do you any good if you never let anything out," Sirius said it with a bit of sadness, but also the fatherly love I had never had in my life.

I was speechless and on the verge of tears. I bit my lip and shut my eyes trying to keep from crying.

"Harry, are you okay?"

"I don't know," I said, my voice cracking.

Sirius wrapped his arms around me. I couldn't stop the tears from falling now. I hugged Sirius tightly and sobbed. Sirius didn't try to stop me, just let held me and let me cry into his shoulder.

After a few minutes, I managed to stop crying. "Thank you," I whispered.

Sirius didn't let go of me, but he sat there rubbing my back with one hand. "I will always be here for you, Harry."

I rested me head on his shoulder and fell asleep.


End file.
